Selective needle control mechanism for knitting machines



w. D. BUTZ 1,847,592

SELECTIVE NEEDLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES March 1, 1932.

Filed April 9, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR: J/lziiezzflflwi ATTORNEY:

March 1, 1932. w. D. BUTZ 1,847,592

SELECTIVE NEEDLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 9, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: mZierD.Bui5

BY W

TTORNEYS.

March '1, 1932. Em 1,847,592

SELECTIVE NEEDLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 9, 1930 5 Sh8etS-sh8et 5 FIG: 1 5?? m ||||"Hllllullllllllllllllllll H II lllllllllllllllllllllll J" l HIHIHIHHI llgglllmlllllll IIIHHIIII I WITNESSES I N V EN TOR:

BY M ATTORNEYS.

March 1, 1932. w. D. 'Bu'rz 1,847,592

SELECTIVE NEEDLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR KNI ITTING MACHINES FiledAprf. 9, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 v muumu K? 75 g? 51mm v 4 I IIIHIHHIH J 1, }z0

r 78 72 Hlfllllllll q Q 70 WITNESSES I, IH llllll b e INVENTOR;

9 g 2 WWW W A TORNEYS.

March 1, 1932 w, Z 1,847,592

SELECTIVE NEEDLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 9, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 JY muflfmlm HHHHHIII W y! nuuum ww 4 A I Z WITNESSES 21 AL; 72 INVENTOR:

Patented Mar. 1, 1932 *UiN'ITEiD' WALTER n. Bn'rz, or YTN'OIRRISTOWN, rENNsYLv-Aiirn, nssieivoit or measles it than N. n. wrsnmms, or ELKINS FARK,'PE1*INSYLVANIA snLE'c'r'I'vn NEEDLE com-son n'nonnivisitr see earn-me anemia Application filed April 9, 19a. eri'al in. 25139.

This invention relates to mechanism useful in connection with knitting machines to produce ornamental and other effects in the fabrics knit on them. In certain forms of embodiment such as hereinafter fully disclosed, the mechanism of my invention is especially suited for incorporation in seamless hosiery knitting machines, to form, incident to fashioning of the toe pockets of the stockings, lines of tuck stitches parallel to the characteristic diagonal sutures of such hosiery, to the end that the stockings are rendered more attractive and that unsightly puckering around the outer ends of the diagonal sutures aforesaid is precluded. application may therefore be considered as related in a general Way to my two tic-pending patent applications, Serial Nos. 836,686 and 364,870 filed respectively on February 1, 1929 and. May 20, 192-9. In these prior applications,- the selection of predeteri'nined needles for tucking to produce the above indicated effects, was controlled entirely by the end needles of the active group during reciprocatory knitting.-

My present invention has for its main ob-' yects to enable SGlGCillOIl" ofpredetermined needles for tucking from amongst the active group: under control of the end needles of the inactive: group during the corresponding phases of: the knitting; and to provide a simple automatic mechanism with needle s'e-' lecting instrumen'talities that derive motion front the element provided m the machines (the drop picker in the case'ofcircular ma chines) for movingthe needles from the inactiveto the'actlve levels.-

A'. further object is to afford facilities whereby the activity of the selective needlecontrol mechanism isgoverned 4 by the means provided in standard knitting machine's-fol" timin thevariou hases-of stockin knitb p for restorlng-said needles to the activejlevel ting; I Still i other: obj sets: and i attendant advantages will be man-ifest from the detailed asiirg having in parallelism with the usual diagonal fashioning sutures at opposite sides This of its too, lines'of tuck stitches -s'uch as may produced wlth the aid of my improved se lective needle control mechanism. I

Fig. II is a diagrammatic view illustrating the fashioning of the stocking toe with the supplemental tuck lines. M

Fig. IIIis a part plan View of typical circular knitting machine embodying the se lective needle control mechanism of my invention, the needle cylinder having been removed to expose the knitting cams.

Figs. IV and V are detail sectionsitaken as indicated, respectii' 'ely, by the arrows IV IV and V-V in Fig. III. w

Fig. is a fragmentary plan sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows VI VI in Figs. IV-and V. I i

Fig. VII is a detail section taken as indi} cated by the arrows VII VII in and VI.

VIII is a detail view taken as indicated'by the arrows VIII'-'VIII in Fig. IV.

Fig. IX is a linear development of the cam ring o'f-the' machine and showing certain sup pl'einental-cams embodie'din my needle tentrol mechanism.

Figs. X-XVI are views like Fig. IX" il lustrating successive steps in the operation of-the control mechanism I I 7 Referring in de'tail to these illustrations; the riuineialQO designates .the cam ring of: the knitting .machine', said ca ni" st'ationarily supported me bedplate Qlj ajnd provided with the customary needle alc'tua t ing camsincluding'stitch cams22, 23, top and: bottom'c'ent-er' cams 24, 25. The cam ring 20 is further equipped with vertically swingable caln for raising the longj butt needles; indicated heavy shaded at N in Fig; IX, to inactive level preparatory. to the fashioning phases of the'knitting; and.

Figs. IV

by 'li'ght lines" at N in Fig'sfIXXVL rh'e" up and down movement individually in the grooves of the cylinder 27 which is shown in Figs. IV and V as being secured to a bevel gear 28 that occupies a recess in the bed plate the top of said bracket.

disposed at opposite sides of the arbor 21. By suitable mechanism (not illustrated) coordinated with the bevel gear 28, the needle cylinder 27 is rotated or oscillated as required in the knitting of seamless stockings after a well known manner. The lifting pickers by which the short butt needles N are su'c cessively raised from the normal or active level to the idle or tucking level during narrowing ofthe heel and toe pockets of' the stockings, are indicated at 29, 30; while the depressing picker whereby said short butt needles are restored to activity during the Widening phases of heel and toe pocket knitting, is indicated at 31.

Proceeding now to my selective needle control mechanism, the same comprises, as shown in Figs. III-VII, a bracket 32 which is adapted to be substituted in place of the, usual bracket for the depressingpicker 31.,and which is provided with apertures spaced to corre spond with the original tapped holes in the circumferential flange 33 of the caniring 20 for the securing screws 34. The depressing picker 31 is inthe present instance pivoted for vertical swinging movement about a horizontal axis 35 in an arbor 36 which is swingable, in turn, about a vertical axis in the bracket 32. The depressing picker 31 is thereby accorded capacity for universal movement to follow, under the yielding action of a spring 37, the downwar angular paths determined fo it by a wing cam 38 as said picker is swung to the right or left in the performance of the picking action. The wing cam 38 has the usual double lobed contour as shown in I Figs. IXXVI, and is secured to the top of the bracket 32. From Fig. IV it will be noted'that the arbor 36 has point-bearing 39, at its lower end, with the base portion of the bracket 32, while its upper end is engaged by a point-screw 40 which is adjustable in Normally, during round and round knitting and also during the narrowing phases of the heel and toe pocket knitting, the depressing picker 31 is held lowered in idle position through engage-;

ment of its tail 310; by a horizontal projection 41' at the top of a rod 42 which is vertically slidable in the bed plate 21 and adapted to be operated from the pattern drum (not shown) of the machine. with the depressing picker 31' I associate a pair of special lifting pickers 43, 44, which, like said depressing picker, are accorded capacity for universal movement by virtue'of being pivoted on horizontal axes 45, 46 respectively in arbors 47, 48 vertically mounted in the bracket 32 and symmetrically 36, as shown in Figs. III and VI. Individual compression springs 49 tend to urge the special lifting pickers 43, 44 downward against stop projections 50, 51 (Fig. VII) formed on oppositely sloping incline cams 52, 53 whereby said pickers are guided as hereinafter morefully explained. The cams 52, 53 are fixedly securet to lugs 54, 55 upstanding from the base portion of the bracket 32. By means of a pull spring 56 (Fig. VI) in tension between them, the special lifting pickers 43, 44 are moreover yieldingly maintained respectively in contact with the opposite ver tical edges 57, 58 of a slide piece 59 which engages an arcuatev groove 60 in the base portion of the bracket 32'for movement concentrically with respect to the axis of the needle cylinder 27. In order to predetermine alternate actuation of the special lifting pickers 43,44 under the influence of the depressing picker 31, the arbor 36 of said depressing picker is fitted with a coupling finger 61 which normally engages a central notch 62 in the slide piece 59. The finger 61 is pivoted to the arbor 36 so as to be swingable upwardly against the action of a spring 63 (Fig. IV) clear of the notch 62 in the sli" e piece 59, by means of a horizontal projection 64 at the top of a vertical rod 65. Like the rod 42, this rod 65 is slidable in the bed plate 21 of the machine. A spring 66 tends to maintain the lower rounded end of the rod 65 in cooperative engagement with a toothed cam wheel 67 which is adapted to be progressively rotated through picking of an attached ratchet wheel 68 by a pawl 69, see Figs. IV and VIII. This pawl 69 may be coordinated with the pattern'mechanism (not shown) of the mapicker 31 from opposite sides incident to oscillatory knit-ting, they are elevated slightly above the normal rest ledge 70 of the cam ring 20 by a stationary cam piece 71 WAlCll is s cured to the bracket 32. From Figs. IX-XV it will be observed that the cam piece 71 is recessed downwardly at the center with provision of a clearance interval 7 2 for the ends of the special pickers 43, 44 beneath the travel of the active short butt needles N. After passing beyond the region of the depressing picker 31 in either direction, the active needles N are brought down to the normal rest level 70 by means of lowering guard cams 73, 74 likewise secured to the picker bracket 32 adjacent the ends of the cam piece 71.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Let it be assumed that the stocking of Fig. I has been knit down through the leg, the heel and foot, as well as down through the narrowed half of the toe T in Fig. II to tlietoefashioning isabout to commence with v the short butt needles N at the tucking level except for the few left at the active level, see Fig. IX. As the needle cylinder 2? moves to the right in initiating the widening phase of the knitting,'the depr ssing picker 31 slips up into the gap in the rank of idle needles and is ultimately engaged by the'leading needle 75- of said rank, as illustrated in Fig. X.

Upon further movement of the ma nne in the direction of the arrow in the illustration last referred to, the depressing picker .31 is obliged to descend at an angle underthe guidance of the wing cam 38 and carries down with it the needle 75 and the immediate neighboring needle after a manner common to Widening operations on circular nachines. Concurrently with such descent of the do pressing picker 31 the special picker L3 in advance, in the direction of rotation of the machine, engages a needle 76 from amon st the active group and under the movement induced through the medium of the slide piece 59. by the depressing picker 31, said special picker a3 is caused to follow the counter-i11- clined upward path defined for it by the cam 52, thereby carrying the selected needle it up to a level above the guard cam T3, shown in Fig. XI, in readiness to be finally lifted to the tucking level by the center cam 24. All the active needles are thereupon caused to pass through the knitting cams in the usual manner to knit a course of the fabric while the selected needle 76 is maintained temporarily at the inactive or tucking level. Atthe completion of this first oscillation of the machine, the parts occupy the position suown in XII. During the succeeding movement of the machine in the reverse direction, the depressing picker 31 is engaged by the leading needle 77 at the opposite side of thegap in the idle rank as shown in Fig. XIIl and carries suchleading needle, together with its immediate neighbor, down to the activelevel, while the special picker A (now in advance of said depressing picker) selects another needle 78 from amongst the active group and lifts it concurrently as shown in Fig. XIV. Directly upon release after having performed the function ust described of it, the depressingpicker 31 rises in time to engage the needle 76, Fig,.XV, previously elevated to the tucking level, and restores said needle to the active level as shown in Fig. XVI in readiness to pass through the knitting cams With the others in the active group during the succeeding oscillation of the machine or movement of the needles to the right. In order to prevent raising of another needle from the active group by the special picker e l the needle 76 is restored in the manner just ex Jlained, said picker a l is temporarily released from the influence of the de ressin icker 31 593 through lifting of the coupling finger 61 (Figs. IV and VII) from tl'ie'notclr62'inthe slide piece 59 under controlofthe camw'heel 6'3. Thus during each oscillation of the inachine, an individual needle is li amongst those of the actix' e group 'N 'first at a definite distance from the leading needle of the inactive group N at one side, and'then at a correspondingdistance from theleading needle of the inactive group N fed from at the other r side for maintenance at the tucking level only whilethe current course of the fabric is being knit. Due to the gradual enlargement of the breach in the inactive rank of needles and attendant changin of the'end needles as the; widening operation proceeds, repetition of the above cycle will obviously beattended by lifting ofsuccessively neighboring needles from amongst theactive group N with resultant formation of lines of tuck stitches L, L (Figs. I and II) parallel to'the usual diagonalsutures S in the toes T of stockings produced by the machine. Ordinarily, while the heel pocket of the stocking is being knit,

the cam wheel 67 is maintained quiescent with the rod occupying one of the peripheral notches between the teeth of said'wheel, so that the linger 61 is held'out of the notch" 62 in the slide 59 by the spring 63 (Fig; IV) to prevent actuation of the special pickers 4:3,- by the depressing picker 31.

If desired, the cam wheel 67 may beset in motion during widening of the heel pocket to determine formation of tuck lines precisely as above explained in connection with suitably controlling the picking of the cam wheel 67, the frequency of thetuck stitches along the lines L, Lin the stocking of Fig. I mav be extensively varie knitting of the toe pocket T. Moreover, by

While the ends of the special pickers 43, 44s I are reduced to the wi lth of a single needle butt, it is obvious they can be Wider so" that more than one needle may be selected and lifted by them at each actuation, with formation of correspondingly,Widertuck lines.

vll hile I have described my improved selective needle control mechanism in connection with a circular stocking knitting machine, it

is not to be regarded as limited to such use: 1

nor is its operation to be considered as restricted to reciprocatory knitting alone, since by various modifications within the skill of experienced knitting machine mechanic, its utility may be extended to determine the formation of tuck effects other than the one herein exemplified.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: v

l. The combination in a knittingmachine embodying a multiplicity of independent needles, and means for subdividing the needles into active and inactive groups at different levels; of selective needlecontrol mechanism including means governed by the end needles vand an element for movi of the inactive group to select individual needies at a distance from the end needles of the active group during knitting of each course of the fabric, andto move such selected needles to the inactive level.

2. The combination in a knitting machine embodying a multiplicity of independent ne dles, and means for subdividing tie nl into active and inactive groups di levels; of selective needle control m-echanlsn including means governed by the end need of the inactive group to select ineividual n dles at a distance from the end needles of the active group during knitting of each course of the fabric, and to move such selected needles to the inactive level, and means for restoring the selected needles to the active level during knitting of the succeeding course of the fabric.

3. The combination in a knitting machine embodying a multiplicity of independent ne dles, means for subdividing the needles into active and inactive groups at different levels,

ns end needles of the t' level for fashionnitting of succesles 3 inactive group to the a" Ive ing purposes incident to .sive fabric courses; of selective needle control mechanism including instrumentalities governed by the end needles of the inactive group to select individual needles at a distance from the end needles of the active group and to move such selected needles to the inactive level.

4. The combination in a knitting machine embodying a multiplicity of independent needles, means for subdividing the needles into active and. inactive groups at different levels, and an element for moving individual needles from the inactive to the active levels incident to knitting of successive fabric courses;'of selective needle control mechanism including instrumentalities operating concurrently With the element aforesaid to select individual needles a distance from the end needles of the group at the active level and tomove such selected needles to the inactive level.

5. The combination in a knitting machine embodvin a multinlicit of independent neeu b L L dles, means for subdividing the needles into active and inactive groups at difierent levels, and an element for moving individual needles from the inactive to the active levels incident to knitting of successive fabric courses; of selective needle control mechanism including instrumentalities deriving movement from the element aforesaid to concurrently select individual needles at a distance from the end needles of the group at the active level and to move such selected needles to tie inactive level. v

6. The combination in knitting machine embodying a multiplicity of independent needles, means for subdividing the needles into active andinactive groups at difierent levels,.and an element for moving end needles vidual needles from the active group at a definite distance from said end needle and to move such selected needles to the inactive level.

7. The combination in a knitting machine embodying a multiplicity of independent needles, means for subdividing the needles into active and inactive groups at difierent levels, and an element for moving individual needles from the inactive to the active levels incident to knitting of successive fabric courses of selective needle control mechanism including instrumentalitics governed by the end neec ice of the inactive group to select, during knitting of each fabric course, individual needles at a distance from the end needles of the active group and to move such selected needles temporarily to the inactive level to be restored to the active level by the element aforesaid during knitting of the succeeding fabric course.

8. The combination in a circular knitting machine embodying a series of fashioning needles; of a selective needle control mecha n'sm governed by the changing end needles of the inactive group incident to fashioning by oscillatory knitting to automatically selcct individual needles at a distance from the end needles of the active group during each oscillation of the machine, and to lift such selected needles to the tucking level.

9. The combination in a circular knitting machine embodying a series of fashioning needles; of a selective needle control mechanism governed by the changing end needles of the inactive group incident to fashioning by oscillatory knitting to automatically select individual needles from the active group at a definite distance from said changing end needles during each oscillation of the machine, and to lift such selected needles to the tucking level.

10. The combination in a circular knitting machine embodying a series of fashioning needles, and fashioning instrumentalities including a drop picker for depressing the fashioning needles successively from the inactive level to the active level incident to fashioning by oscillatory knitting; of a se lective needle control mechanism comprising means operative concurrently With the lowering of an end needle of the inactive group during each oscillation of the machine by the depressing picker, to raise at a distance from the end needles of the active group, a predetermined needle, and to elevate such selected needle to the inactive level to remain so raised until restored to the active level by the ffi fi k r u i ceedingoscillatio'n. I

machine embodying Ia jseries off f ashioning needles. and fashioning 'nstriiinentalities in a drop picker for depressmg'tlie cludir needles successively from "the in active or tucking level to the active level mcident tofashioning oscillatory knitting; of a selective needle control mechanism com prising means operatively coordinatedWith and adapted for actuation by the depressing picker aforesaid to select individual needles atsa distance from the and needles of the ac:

tive group during each oscillation of the machine, andto lift such selected needles to the tucking level. a v

12. flhe combination in a circular knitting machine embodying aseries of fashioning needles, and fashioning instrumentalities including a drop picker for depressing the fashioning needles successively from the in active or tucking level to the active level incident to fashioning by oscilla'tory knit ting ;.of a selective needle control mechanism compris ng special pickers operatrvely coordinated with and adapted fo r actuation by the depressing picker aforesaid tosele'ctindividual needles at a distance fronithe end needles of the active group during; each oscillation of the machine and to lift such selected needles'to the tucking level.

13. The combination in a circular knitting machine embodying a series of fashioning needles, and fashioning instrumentalities including a drop picker for depressing the fashioning needles successively from the inactive or tucking level to the active level incident to fashioning by oscillatory knitting; of a selective needle control mechanism comprising means operatively coordinated With and adapted for actuation by the depressing picker aforesaid to select individual needles at a distance from the end needles of the active group during each oscillation of the machine, means to lift such selected needles to the tucking level, and means operative to temporarily release the needle selecting means aforesaid from the in fluence of the depressing picker at the initiation of each oscillation to permit said depressing picker to restore previously selected and elevated needles to the active level.

14. The combination in a circular knitting machine embodying a series of fashioning needles and fashioning instrumentalities including a picker for depressing the fashion ing needles successively from the inactive or tucking level to the active level incident to fashioning by oscillatory knitting; of a selective needle control means comprising special pickers coordinated with and adapted for actuation by the depressing picker aforesaid to select individual needles at a distance from the end needles of the active group during each oscillation of the machine, meansto" lift 1 such' selected needles to thetucking level,and

'ineans'operative totemporarily release the "special pickers'from the influence of the depressing picker at the initiation of each .05-

c llation' to permit said depressing picker to iles to the active'level.

' 15. The combination in a circular knitting machine embodying aseries of fashioning:

needles, and fashioning instrumentalities in-.

ore previously selected andeievated neee 'cluding a picker for depressing the fashionv ing needles successively from the inactiveior tucking level to the active level incident to:

fashioning by oscillatory knitting; of a selective needle" control mechanism including.

speciahq'aickers mounted -for independent 'movemfent'to opposite sides ofthe depressing picker af0resa1d-,- and coordinating means whereby the specialp'ieker'inadvance of the t;

depressin picker is actuated during each 0scillation of the machine through movement derivedfrbni said-depressing picker to select a needle amdistancefromthe end needles of the active groupand' to lift. such selected needle 'tothe tucking level.

16. The-combination in a circularmachine embodying" aseries of fashioning needles,

and fashioning instrumentalities including a picker'for depressingthe fashioningneedles needlefcontrol mechanism comprising special.

successively*froxhthe inactive or tucking level 'to the active level incident to fashionmg by oscillatory knitting; of a selective slide'interpo's'ed'between the special pickers," spring means l for maintai-nlng "the special 1 pickers'yieldingly'iir CODtZLCt'Wltll the'opposite ends of th e slide; stops to limit the movemento f the special pickers towardeach other- 1 under the influence of the spring means, and

means to. connectthe slide'aforsaid with thedepressing" picker whereby the special picker in advance'of the depressing picker 'during eachoscillat ion of the machine is caused to select --a needle" at a distance'fromthe end needles of the: active group and to lift' such selectedneed'le tothef tucking level.

17. The combination in a circular machine embodying aseries of fashioning needles, and fashioning: instrumentaliti'es includlng a picker for depressing the fashioning needles successively from the inactive or tucking level to the' ac tive level incident to fashioning by oscillatory .Web knitting; tive needle control mechanism comprising special pickers mounted .for independent movement at opposite sides of the depressingxpicker, a slide interposed between the special pickers spring means-to maintain he special pickersyi-eldingly in contact with the oppositeends of the slide, stops to limit the movement of the specialpickers' toward each other under the influence of the spring means, means coupling the slide with the depressing picker whereby the special picker in advance of thedepressing picker during each oscillation of the machine is caused to select a needle at a distance from the end needlesof the active group and to lift such select-ed needle to the tucking level, and means for temporarily uncoupling the slide for release I of the special pickers to permit said diepressing picker to restore the selected needle totheactive level. during the immediate- 1y succeeding oscillation of tie machine.

A 18.1 The; combination in a circular knitting machine enibodying a series of fashioning nee"- I dles, and fashioning. instrumentalities inv under the influence of the spring means, a

coupling finger coordinated with the depressing picker and engaging a notch in the slide aforesaid whereby the specialpicker in advance of the depressing picker during-ca ol oscillation of the machine is caused to select a needle at a distance from the end needles of the active group and to lift such selected needle to the tucking level, and means for automatically disconnecting the coupling fin= ger from the slide to release the special picker actuated as aforesaid from the infiuenceof the depressing picker during the immediately succeeding oscillation of the machine to per= mlt restoration of the selected needle to the active level by said depressing picker.

19. The combination in a circular knitting machine embodying a series of fashioning needles, and fashioning instrumentalities includmg a picker for depressing the fashionlng needles successively from the inactive or tucking level to the active level incident to fashloning by oscillatory knitting; of aselective needle control mechanism including special plckers mounted for independent movement at opposite sides of the depressing p cker, a slide interposed between said special p ckers,.spr1ng means to maintain the special pickers yieldingly in contact with opposite ends of the slide, stops for limiting movementof the special pickers toward each other under the influence of the spring means, a coupling finger coordinated with the depressing poker and engaging a notch in the slide aforesaid whereby the special picker in advance of the depressing picker during each oscillation of the machine is caused to select a needle at a distance from the end needles;

of the active group and to lift such selected needle to the tucking level, a slide rod-with a projection for engaging a tail of thecoupling finger to disconnect the slide withr'elease of the special picker actuated as afor'e-' said from the influence of the depressing? picker during the immediately succeeding oscillation of the machine, thereby to permit said depressing picker to restore the revious- 1y selected needle to the active leve and an intermittently rotating cam wheel to actuate 1 the slide rod for the purpose indicated.

20. The combination in a hosiery knitting with the diagonal sutures at opposite sides of the toe pocket. In testimony whereof, have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 3rd day of April 1930.

- WALTtue 1).. :enrz.v 

